The Master's Eyes
by Florida's Firefly
Summary: One shot. Shifu is gone, and his six students have taken it hard - especially Po. It's in this tragic time, however, that the Dragon Warrior learns that healing and new hope can come in the smallest of packages.


This is just something I whipped up during a spell of writers' block for _The First Step _(which is being made into a four-part story. And the third chapter is not terribly far from done). Some of you may hate me for what I've done in this story and some of you may cry… But I tried to make it a sweet story and it's based on my own experiences.

Hope you like it! Please R&R!

OoOoOo

Not in years had the Jade Palace experienced a more heartbreaking day.

Master Shifu - the most dedicated trainer, mentor, and father that his six beloved students could ever ask for - had died in the middle of the night. No, he hadn't been brutally murdered by some old enemy or malefactor in the midst of combat. The aging red panda had been bedridden with a terrible sickness that had gone from a simple cough to a dangerously high fever in a matter of days. And, as much as they stayed by his bedside and tried to cure him, his students could do nothing to prevent it.

Three weeks passed with steady but slow recovery, as the six young masters' hearts still ached of grief for their deceased master. The whole ordeal had hit everyone hard - most noticeably, Po.

Never again would he step out into the bunkhouse hallway to greet Shifu. Never again would they take those long training treks up to the Wudang Mountains. As torturous as those had been to Po, his master had always walked every step with him. He had been eternally patient with the panda, giving the long hours of the day to hone the young Dragon Warrior's skills and always urging him to go just a little further each time.

Shifu had taken in the Five as children and had done the same. Even if he had distanced himself from them then, the all were aware of every sacrifice he had made for them in dedicating his time and knowledge and demanding only their respect in return. And, in the end, he had been at peace when he went, surrounded by the sons and daughters he loved.

Even after three weeks, Po still had trouble sleeping at night sometimes. It had been a night like this that the future of the six young masters would change forever.

The Dragon Warrior was lying on his tatami mat and staring at the ceiling, his mind still reeling a bit. _It all happened too quickly_, he thought. _He left too soon... It was all just an accident._

_There are no accidents._

If Po could only get proof of that... Some sign that this devastating blow could possibly bestow some good or open some door, no matter how much heartache it was causing. The panda continued to stare at the ceiling, waiting for some kind of revelation to hit him.

Nothing came.

Frustrated, Po groaned and turned over on his side, intent on trying to go to sleep for the tenth time that night.

The moment he closed his eyes, however, he heard a soft, high-pitched sound drifting across the garden outside. Gritting his teeth slightly, he tried to shut it out of his mind. Already, he was hearing Shifu playing his flute in the garden. Next he was going to start seeing him all over the place...

The sound came again. _Shut up, shut up, shut up!_ Po braced the pillow over his head to try and drown the music out. That was it, he had officially gone crazy.

It came a third time. Po was about ready to stuff paper in his ears until he listened this time and realized that it wasn't a flute. It wasn't any kind of music at all. Po's next thought was that it was someone walking around in the hallway and making the floorboards creak, but this was definitely coming from outside. He then made it out as some kind of...strange mewling sound.

Finally, Po's curiosity got the best of him and he rose from the mat. Who or what would be up at this hour of night? Following the sound, the panda walked silently through the hallways until he was led out into the Hall of Warriors and outside to the front gate. Whatever...or whoever...this noisy culprit was, it was directly outside.

Po bit his lip slightly. If it was a friend, he'd offer any help that was needed. If it was an enemy, he'd take care of the punk panda style and drop-kick him to the next dynasty. Cautiously, the panda stepped forward and opened the gates. He was only met by the silent, star-laden sky.

The sound came one more time, causing Po to look down. He barely contained a slight gasp. There was a tiny, wriggling bundle at his feet, wrapped in a blanket and mewling quietly. The hood of the blanket covered its face and all that the giant panda could really see were two little, brown-furred paws clutching the folds of the blanket.

At first, the situation was a little too surreal for Po and all he could do was stare at the bundle with his mouth slightly agape. When he finally snapped out of it, he stepped forward and leaned down to pick it up. He paused, trying to figure out exactly how to do this. It was so incredibly tiny and looked so fragile that he was afraid of hurting it with his big, clumsy paws. He finally and carefully scooped the bundle up to cradle it in the crook of his arm. He was overwhelmed by how little it was - enough to fit perfectly in his palm.

The mewling whimpers had reduced to gentle snuffling by now as Po carefully reached his paw over to reveal the tiny visitor. As the hood of the blanket was pulled away, the moonlight revealed a tiny red panda cub that couldn't have been more than two weeks old. The infant gave a quiet bleat at the sudden light and brought his little brown paws up to rub his face. His nose twitched slightly, and he finally he opened his eyes to gaze up at Po.

Bright cobalt blue eyes.

Po had to resist the urge to cry. Here - of all places, of all things, and of all times - for this to happen... There was no way in the word it could be an accident. The young Dragon Warrior's heart practically melted as the cub's wide blue orbs just gazed at him.

It wasn't long before the Furious Five was roused from their sleep by a fervent voice calling them from the hallway. As soon as they all stepped out to meet him and Mantis was ready to floor him for the premature wake-up call, Po simply brought his arm down to reveal the new arrival.

The cub was fast asleep by this time, curled up in Po's arm with his head nestled against his new caretaker's chest and one little fist clinging onto the panda's fur.

The Five gave a collective gasp. Tigress's paw went over her mouth as she stared at the infant, overwhelmed.

It didn't take Po long to explain what had happened. And, loyal to the belief that all things happen for a reason - which they had been taught time and time again - he and the others willingly took the newborn in, making a collective vow to raise him as their own and, once he was old enough, to train him.

Tigress somehow couldn't shake the feeling that her beloved Master Shifu himself had somehow had a hand in sending this child to them, and voiced this to her fellow warriors. The young masters then knew exactly what to call the cub.

Netra.

Meaning "master's eyes".


End file.
